Resilient wheel



May 6 1924.

E. A. HAVENS RESILIENT WHEEL Filed UCL 28. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6 1924.,

. v 1,493,198 E.A.HAvENs RESILIENT WHEEL' Filed oct. 28, 19.22 I 3 sheets-sheet 2 N Y u, x l\\'\f N im@ n www s May 6 1924. 1,493,198

E. A. HAVENS RESILIENT WHEEL Filed Oct. 28, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q nr INVERTER..

Patented May 6, 1924.,

7U NIT-ED,jfSjTTSS @P TENT oFri ERNEST A. HAvENs, or. rEoEIA,ILL1NoIs, AssIGNoR 0E ONE-FOURTH y'ro FRANK r.

CASEY, ONE-FOURTH TO HERMAN fH. ASHENBERG, BOTH OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, AND l oNE-EoUE'rH'To NORMAN T. NICHOLS, 0E NEW CANTON, ILLINOIS.

y RESILIENT WHEEL.`

` `Afiiiianon iiied'october 28', 1922. seriai No. 597,529.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known thatIVEizNEs'r'A HAvENs,

a citizen of the lUnited States, a resident of Peoria, in the county of yPeoria and StateV of Illinois, have invented new 'anduseful Improvements in Resilient Y Wheels, of

which the following lis a specific'a-tionv,

This invention has reference tofwheelsh..

andv it has for its'principalv object'ftofiniprove the V,construction of wheelsused on automobiles and trucks.

The inventionhas for ya/"funther object,

to provide a resilient wheell'preferablyfof ,Y

,usine a fSQldYV the pressed steldisc type, rubber tireor a pneumaticvtire. l Afurther object oi' the inventionl is to provide a hub "striicturevfor a" resilient wheel',`wherein the hub structure has a sus-y lv p pended connection with the tire supporting element of thel'wlie'el, such*l'connectiony u "istructved to carry a solid rubber tire ,or aV 1. pneumatic tire, vwhich ever may seem more l A y Y desirable, The body of the wheel 1 may A still urtherobject of the r-invention is" preferably comprising indiarrubber vulcanized Vto elements included iii the V.hub-:structure' and .the .tire supporting elementg'- an limproved hub, structure lfor wheels,y

part or .ring ,arranged lalter-nite/ly,ltoilthe other part .or riiig` softhat. they present staggered relation to eachother; fanitlfxalnf` interposed fieXible or elastic. element suchv as india-rubber vulcanized to the/ surfaces or said parts orv rings and al'soto ,the-reg",j spective'iingers or" such parts;@means be?,l

1,5, see Figures 3 and 4. Y y

" There are lprovided two annular conceningipiovided for assemblingsuchhub str ucf ture in or.attaching the' same'to'a wheel:

or ,pneumatic tire." y

structure to which may be connecteda solid ,i

That thev invention mo-re fully understood,rererenceis had to the accompanying drawings v'forming a part of the present description, illustratinga preferred' embodiment or Lthe invention, in which:-

Figi'ire l is'a` greatly reduced side elevaj Figure Qlis avde'tail inv section, as ythe same would appear. if takenA on the line,V

2--2 Figure 1 Figure 3 is a detail in section, somewhat .similarto Figure V2, except that it is taken lon theline 3 3 Figure 4;

Figure-4 is a sidey elevation, parts broken away` and parts being insection, looking `at the'brakedrum side of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectionaldetail as the same would appear if taken on the line 5-5 F igure, 4;

Figure 6 is a detail side elevation, parts -broken away and parts in section, showing a modilied structure;

Figure ,7 is a 'detailcross-section, as the same would appearfif taken -on lthe line 7-'7Figure 6;

Like' characters responding Y parts throughout the figures.

ReferringY to Figures' l to 5, both inelusive, a pressed steel wheel l of the disc typeis shown and such wheel be conhave any-suitable contour, formed by pressof reference denote coring or stamping, but I prefer that the 4c'en-Y i ter ofthe wheel shall bel stamped or pressed with; ythe central outwardly bulging portion-Q designed-as a housing'for the huby structure. l The. hub structure lpreferably includes the hub member` 3l u u designed to be attached [to theend of an axle, not shown, and said hub,'at orpnear its inner end has connected.

`,thereto the annular platelor iiange'4 the peripheral edgeof which, at intervals, is l provided with notches, seats or depressions tric'parts or rings 6 and 7, the latter being i carried by. and slipped overtheouter end otv the hub member, 3 andpre'ferably held in juxtaposition to the plate or flange 4 of the hub and the former is spaced therefrom and vconnected thereto vas `will be explained. The partor ring 6 is `provided' with a plurality of spaced inwardly extending and radially disposed -ingersSwhich terminate short of the` part -or ring 7 and such fingers at their.

11 are provided. ",lhepart or ring 7 is) provided with a plurality of spaced outwardly extending and radially disposed fingers 12 which terminate short of the part or ring 6 and the outer end of each linger 12 is formedl or provided with the flared or substantially bifurcated end 13 and with a bolt opening 14 therethrough and a counter-sunk seat 15; the part or ring 7 itself being also provided with bolt receiving openings 16. The parts or rings 6 and 7 are assembled so that the respective fingers have an alternate arrangement and present a staggered arrangement somewhat as shown in Figure 4 with the fingers 8 lying in the spaces between the fingers 12, and said fingersl2 lying inthe spaces between the fingers 8. The part or ring 7 isl preferably connected to and suspended from the part or ring 6 by means of an elastic or flexible means such as india-rubber 16 which is vulcanized to the periphery of the part or ring 7 and to the inner surface ofthe part or ring 6 and also to the ends and opposite edges cf the fingers 8 and 12, within andl around the edges of the flared or substantially bifurcated ends of the fingers 13 and cov'- ering the entire area between the parts or rings 6 and 7 and the alternately vspaced fingers 8 and 12 of said respective parts or rings 1 prefer that the rubber 16 shall be of a thickness less than the Width of the parts or l rings 6 and 7 and the fingers 8 and 12, as shown in Figures 2 and` 3 providing lcorresponding spaces or pockets 17 on either side of the rubber for a lubricating means, pref-y erably graphite, not shown. The spaces or pockets 17 on one side of the rubber are walled by the rubber and the plate or flange 4 of the hub 3 and on the other side by the.

rubber and a plate 18 which has an opening 19 to permit said plate to be slipped over the outer end of the hub 3 and brought into uxtaposition to the outer faces of the parts or rings 6 and 7 and the fingers 8 and 12, see Figures 2 and 3. The hub structure iscom pleted by a flanged ,plate 2O and a brakedrum 21. The flanged plate 2O lies next ad-v jacentl the exposed face of the plate or flange 4 of the hub, with its flanged end 22 overly: ing and spaced from the peripheral edgeof the flange or plate 4 and engaging the part or ring 6, see Figures 2 and 3 and the body of said flanged plate 2O is providedwit-h a plurality of spaced openings 23 receiving gaged by nuts 27'held within the seats 15.V

Counter-sunk Vscrews 28 pass through the hub of the brake-drum, through the flange or plate of the hub and engage threads inthe openings 16 in the part 7 These securing vmeans arebest seen in Figure 2. Othersewheel 1 the same is held within a drum 31` riveted lor otherwise suitably secured to the inside of said wheel, being adapted, as shown to center'the hub structure on ythe wheel, the outerend of the hub 3,'projecting within the bulging,` portion 2l of ,the vwheell with sufficientv space left`-for,theif'secuifementl ofa nut or equiyalent rimane, nots-hown,4 on 4the axle, not shown, to 'which` thev hub 3 is connected, Bolts 32co`nnect the hubfstru'cture. to the wheel, the same being passed through the` flanged end ofthe late'20 andcounter-siink therein `and througlli the` openings` 11 Ainthe part 6,*and through the wheell', vsee Figure'3 andheld by thenuts 33, which, `when removed permitthe wheel to'ibe removed from and torelease the hub structure to permit access to be had thereto, as will be under-` stood. a

Inv the structure justA described protection is afforded the rubber resilient member by thewflaiige orpl'ate4 of the hub 31 on one side andthe( plate 17 ,p on the other side and the'spaces,y o`r` pockets `17 therebetween and oneitherside of the rubber give ample provisionfor Qspreadingyof the rubber when under compression andthe graphite lubrii, t

cant workinglway betweenlthe adjacent faces ofthepart-sjor, rings6 and 7 yand, the` plate17y andbetweenfthefparts or rings 6 and'7andthe. flange or plate 4 of they hub and between the flange or plate` 4 and theL flanged platev ,620 presents ,well lubricatedV surfaces to permit ainoiselessland vfree movement ofthepartshone on'theother. When tliewheelis subjectedtto a suddenjar the` parts 6 andj'r hayela movement relative to,

eachother tojcoinpress oristretchthe elastic.

vmedium 16, .tfhegsai'iiey accommodating itself in thev direction o'f ory reverse to. that of the strain applied, the flared or substantial bifurcated endsl of th fingers 12 having. a substantial purchaseon or in y.the elastic medium and designed to uniformly compress or stretch the elastic medium through' out the area ofsuchcompression or stretch ing.v The consistency of the elastic medium should be such as to give limited play to. the parts, as I have experienced that very littlemovem'ent need be had to accomplish the most desirable results,;and grinding or churning yof the elastic medium is thereby eliminated. A further advantage this structure has, is in relieving the shock andre- .iic

hub 3 extending through vsuch opening.l

Likewise the openings 23 in the flanged plate Q will permit relative movement between said plate and the brake-drum 21, the hub of which is carried within the plate and the bosses of which pass through the openingsy in said plate. Also the notches, seats or depressions in the periphery of the flange or plate 4 of the hub are placed coincidental with the bolts 32 and permit relative movement between said plate and the flanged portion of the plate 2O through which said bolts are carried. Thus ample provision is made for relative.movement of certain elements of the hub structure, onel on the other due to jar or strain, whatever its character, on the wheel.

I am aware that the use of an elastic medium in a hub structure is not new, but I am not aware of the use of such a medium being employed for the suspension of certain parts of the hub structure from certain other parts of such hub structure and where the elastic medium, being india-rubber, is vulcanized to such hub parts. Such an arrangement and construction lends a 4resiliency to` wheels not heretofore attained andv will permit of the use of solid tires with' -equally as good results as pneumatic tires,

but the use of the latter maybe continued wherever and whenever it is desirable.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown a modification of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 5 both inclusive, wherein, instead of two annular concentric parts or rings, suchas 6 and 7 I have shown such parts arranged in pairs and in parallel spaced relation, necessi-4 tating two elastic mediums instead of one, as indicated yat 16. No material change is made in the wheel structure l, or the` brake-drum 21 and the hub 3 and flange or plate 4 are substantially the same, except that the flange or plate 4 of the hub is re-v moved farther from the inner end of the hub 3 and the edge of the flange or plate 4 is provided with a pluralityof alternately disposed recesses 43 on opposite faces' ofsaid flange or plate 4, serving as feeding grooves for vthe lubricant graphite that the same may have passage between the flange or.

plate and adjacent plate-members and elasticmedium on either side of said flange orl plate 4 for a proper lubrication of the parts and facilitate the noiseless and easy movementsI of lthep'arts onefonfthe' other due to strain or vshock from whatever cause. Thev drum 31 may be -of less width than previously shown, as the pairs of annular concentric parts or rings-6a, 6a and 7, 7a and india-rubber filling 16, 16L vulcanized thereto and between the'respective parts or rings are of less Width than corresponding parts or elements previously described. In this structure instead ofthe flanged plate 2O an annular `ring 44 T shape in crosssection is provided to which is bolted a pairy of spaced parts or rings'a, 6a one on either side of the flange or plate 4, and to such parts are vulcanized the rubber filling 16, in turn vulcanized to they parts or rings 7, 7a, also disposedon either side of the flange or plate 4 of the hub. I also prefer that the rubber filling inthis instance shall incase the fingers 8a and 12a of the respective inner and outer parts or rings 6a and 7a, with the exception of spacing washers 45 on the ends of the flared ends 13a of the fingers 12u which are used tol properly space the fingers from the flange or plate 4 and provide a suitable bearing for securing bolts. The inner parts or rings 6a are lsecured toy the flange or plate 4 by means of rivets 46 or other suitable securing means passing through said parts or rings! 6a and lsaid flangeor plate 4 of the hub, and the parts or rings 7a are connected by bolts 32a to the vring 44 and to the wheel v1 and said bolts engagedby nuts 33a providing a detacha` ble connectionfor the hub unit to the wheel in a manner similar to that previously described. The brake-drum 21 is secured to the flange or plate 4 and the'flared ends of the fingers 12"i are secured to said flange 4or plate 4 of they hub by means of bolts 474 passing therethrough and secured vin placey by nuts 48. A spacing ring 49 is'interposed between thebrake-drum and the next f adjacent parts 6a 'and 7v and elastic Amedium c'onnectlng the same and said ring secures between 'it andthe brake-drum, the

'inner edge Vof a dirt protecting plate 50 which extends outwardly and inwardlyrtoj ward the next adjacent part or ring 6a and has a protecting edge 51 bearing against the part or ring 6a to prevent dirt working its Way to the elastic medium. K The lastpmentioned structure is not unlike the first described, except that instead of the one set of annular concentric parts or rings and interposed vulcanized rubber, two sets of suchv parts are provided and the same so housedor encased in the hub' structure as to avoid the use of certain previously referred to elements. `The action -of the structure shown inFi'gures 6 and 7 is not unlike that first described, as will be readily 1 Y tionithat the invention may be modified in' form as well as structure without departingl from itsspirit and scope, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to .precise details exwhereby the inner ringis suspended fromv the outer ring, andan axle receiving hub independent of said rings.

2. In a wheel of the character described,y

in combination, ajhub structure including a pair of concentric rings provided with alternately arranged radially disposed fingers, an

elasticy medium `disposed within and between said rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner ring is suspended from the outerring, an axle receiving hub .independent ot said rings andadaptedto be inserted within the inner ring, said hub having .a plateoonnected thereto to rovideza retaining memberifor one side ci? said hub structuie, a retaining plate member for the opposite side of said hub structure, and means for assembling the elements of said structure and securing the same to a wheel.

3. In a wheel of the character described, in combin'atioma hub structure including a pair of concentric rings provided with'alternately arranged radially disposed` fingers, an elastic medium disposed within and between said rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner .ring is suspended from the outer ring, an axle receiving hub independent of said rings and adapted to be inserted within the inner ring, said hub having a plate connected thereto to provide a retaining member for one side of said hub structure, a retaining plate member for the opposite'side of said hub structure, a third plate disposed next adjacent said hub plate and having a flange overlying the peripheral edge of said hub plate andextending to the outer ring, and means forassembling the elements of said structure and securing the same to a wheel.

4. In a wheel of the 'character described, in combination, a pair vof concentric rings provided with alternately arranged radially` disposed fingers, an elastic medium of less width than said rings disposed therebetween and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner ring is suspended :from the outer ring, an Vaxle hub fitting within said inner ring, plates lying-next adjacent and on either side of said rings and" together with said elastic mediumforming lubricating pockets therebetween, and means for assembling said elements on a wheel.

5. In a wheel of the character described,

in combination, apair of concentric rings either side of said rings and together with,

said elastic medium forming lubricating pockets therebetween, one of' said plates connected with said hub, a plate disposed next adjacent said hub plate and havinga flangel overlying said hub plate and` extending to the outer ring, means lfor assembling said elements and attaching the same to a wheel4 structure.

6.ln a ,wheel of the `character described, in combination, a wheel structure, a centering drum `connected thereto,.a hub struc-v ture for said wheel adapted to fit within saidl drum including a ,pair of concentric rings, an `elastic, medium disposed within and` `between Asaid rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner ring issuspended from the outer ring, an axle hub independent of vand fitting withinisaidinner ring, plates lying next adjacent and on either side of said rings, and means for assembling the elements of said hub structure and securing the rsaine to said wheel structure rwithin said druin.- 7. In a wheel of the character described, in combination, a wheelstructure, a centering drum connected thereto, a'hub structureA forY said .wheel adapted to fit within said drinn including' a pair of concentric rings provided with alternately arranged and; overlapping radially disposed fingers, an elastic medium disposed within and between said rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the innerring is suspended from the outer ring, an. axle lhub independent of and fitting within said inner ring, plates llying next adjacentand on either side of said rings, and means f or assembling the elements of said hub .structure and securing the' same to said wheel structure within l .with said elastic medium forming lubrieating pockets therebetween, and means for assembling said elements on a wheel to permit relative movement of said plates and elastic medium.

9. In a Wheel in combination, a pressed steel wheel of the disc type having a central bulgingI portion, a centering drum connected to the inner face of said disc, a hub structure adapted to tit within said drum comprising a pair of concentric rings, an elastic medium disposed within yand between said rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner ring is suspended from the outer ring, an axle hub independent of said rings adapted to fit within said inner ring and extend into the bulging portion of said disc, plates lying next adjacent and on either side of said rings, a plate disposed next adjacent one of said plates and having a flange overlying said plate and extending inwardly to the outer ring, means to connect one of said plates and one of said rings, and other means to connect said anged plate, the other of said rings and said disc.

10. In a Wheel, in combination, a pressed steel wheel of the disc type having a central bulging portion, a centering drum connected to the inner face of said disc, a

hub structure adapted Ito fit within said 25 drum comprising a pair of concentric rings provided with alternately arranged vand overlapping radially disposed fingers, the lingers of one ring having ilared ends, an

elastic medium disposed within and be- 30 tween said rings and vulcanized thereto, whereby the inner ring is suspended from the outer ring, an axle hub independent of said rings adapted to fit within said inner ring and extend into the bulging, portion 35 of said disc, plates lying next adjacent and on either side of said rings, a plate disposed next adjacent one of said plates and having a ange overlying said plate and extending inwardly to the outer ring, means to con- 40 nect one of said plates and one of said rings, and other means to connect said flanged plate, the other of said rings and said disc.

In witness whereof I have hereunto ailixed my hand thisl 26th day of October, 1922. l

ERNEST A. HAVEN S. 

